Change is the only constant thing in life. I've learned to like it even though sometimes it's hard. This blog is about adapting to changes and seeing things differently. I guess my wish is for readers to see value in taking the 'risk' of changing, for the better, and maybe contribute towards their courage trying it :)

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Introducing iamsick.ca

If you've noticed a decreased frequency of blog posts here, it's mostly
because I've been busy working on iamsick.ca with my two wonderful co-founders since June. Here's an overview of iamsick.ca.

www.iamsick.ca is a healthcare mapping website/app that deals with two
problems: a systematic problem that is burdening the Canadian healthcare
system, and a problem related to inconveniences experienced by
Canadians who seek same-day primary options.

The Canadian healthcare system is overburdened with unnecessary ER
visits. Almost half of all ER visits are non-critical, costing the
government 2x-6x per patient compared to receiving similar treatment at
an urgent care centre, walk-in clinic or family doctor. Reducing the
number of non-critical ER patients may reduce healthcare costs and ER
wait-times.

Canadian
patients are inconvenienced by the ineffective use of
consumer technology when it comes to healthcare in Canada. Searches for
nearby same-day healthcare options in Canada often deliver results that
are incomplete, noisy or out-of-date, and information is dispersed
across various websites. For ERs, urgent care centres and walk-in
clinics, patients register in person and spend unproductive hours in a
waiting room. There is also a lack of awareness of healthcare options
for travelers; International students aren't fully aware of all
healthcare providers that accept UHIP health insurance plans, Canadians
traveling out-of-province may be unaware of their healthcare options,
and international visitors to Canada may have travel insurance but are
unaware of their healthcare options. We provide users with all the
information they need in a single place and strive to ensure the
integrity of our data.

iamsick.ca
consolidates information about ERs, urgent care centres,
walk-in clinics and pharmacies onto a map that makes it easier for
patients to learn about their surroundings and see relevant
information. We show Canadians what's nearby, what's open at the time
of search, wait-time information if its available, and more. We are
also working towards implementing a centralized e-scheduling system that
will show live wait-times and facilitate remote registration for
same-day appointments and virtual queuing at walk-in clinics. This may
provide a behavioural incentive for patients with less urgent conditions
to
choose an option that is less costly to our healthcare system.